1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to bail tripping devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to spinning reel bail tripping devices for returning a bail arm, which can be pivoted between a line-guiding posture and a line-releasing posture and is pivotably attached to a rotor that is rotatably mounted to a reel unit of a spinning reel, such that the bail arm returns from the line-releasing posture to the line-guiding posture when the rotor rotates in line-guiding direction.
2. Background Information
Typical spinning reels include a reel unit, a rotor rotatably supported by the reel unit, and a spool around which fishing line is wound. The rotor includes a first and a second arm portion that are arranged in opposition to one another, flanking the rotation axis of the rotor, and a bail arm mounted pivotably at the tips of the two arm portions.
The bail arm can assume a line-guiding posture, in which fishing line is guided to the circumference of the spool when winding up fishing line, or a line-releasing posture, in which the bail arm is toppled over from the line-guiding posture so that it does not pose a hindrance when rolling off fishing line from the spool. The rotor is provided with a bail tripping device, which maintains the bail arm in the line-guiding posture or the line-releasing posture and returns the bail arm from the line-releasing posture in the line-guiding posture when rotating the rotor in line-guiding direction.
The bail tripping device includes a shifting mechanism disposed in the rotor, which can shift between a first position corresponding to the line-guiding posture and a second position corresponding to the line-releasing posture in cooperation with a pivoting of the bail arm, and a switching portion provided on the reel unit, which can contact the shifting mechanism. In the second position, a portion of the shifting mechanism protrudes from the rear of the rotor, and the shifting mechanism is arranged such that its protruding end can contact the switching portion when the rotor rotates in the line-guiding direction.
The switching portion protrudes toward the rotor and can be formed in one piece with or separately from the flange portion, which is formed at the front of the reel unit and covers the rear of the rotor.
With a spinning reel with this configuration, when the rotor is rotated in the line-guiding direction by turning the handle while the bail arm is put in the line-releasing posture, such as for casting, the protruding end of the shifting mechanism abuts against the switching portion and contacts it in a sliding motion. Then, the shifting mechanism is pushed by the switching portion and restored from the second position to the first position, thus returning the bail arm from the line-releasing posture to the line-guiding posture.
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
In such a bail tripping mechanism, when restoring the bail arm into the line-guiding posture by turning the handle, it is desirable that the bail arm can be restored smoothly.
In this conventional configuration, however, the protruding end of the shifting mechanism always collides with the switching device when restoring the bail arm by tripping it, so that there is the risk of damaging the switching portion. When the switching portion is damaged, the friction force at the portion where the shifting mechanism contacts the switching portion increases, and it becomes difficult to restore the bail arm smoothly to the line-guiding posture.
In view of the above, there exists a need for a bail tripping device which overcomes the above mentioned problems in the prior art. This invention addresses this need in the prior art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a spinning reel bail tripping device, with which the bail arm can be restored smoothly to the line-guiding posture.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, a spinning reel bail tripping device for returning a bail arm, which is fitted pivotably between a line-guiding posture and a line-releasing posture to a rotor attached rotatably to a spinning reel unit, from the line-releasing posture to the line-guiding posture in cooperation with rotation of the rotor in its line-guiding direction, includes a shifting mechanism, a switching portion and a revolving member. The shifting mechanism is provided in the rotor and can shift, when the bail arm pivots, between a first position corresponding to the line-guiding posture and a second position corresponding to the line-releasing posture. The shifting member has a portion that protrudes toward a front portion of the reel unit when in the second position. The switching portion is arranged at the front of the reel unit, and, when the rotor rotates in line-guiding direction, the switching portion contacts the protruding portion of the shifting mechanism in the second position, shifting the shifting mechanism toward the first position. The revolving member is provided either on the shifting mechanism at a portion contacting the switching portion or on the switching portion at a portion contacting the shifting mechanism, such that the revolving member rolls against the switching portion or the shifting mechanism.
With this bail tripping device, when the bail arm is in the line-releasing posture, and the rotor is rotated in the line-guiding, direction by turning the handle, the protruding end of the shifting, mechanism abuts against the switching portion, and the shifting mechanism is shifted from the second position to the first position, returning the bail arm to the line-guiding posture. During the collision, the revolving member provided on either the shifting mechanism or the switching portion collides with the other component (i.e. switching portion or shifting mechanism), so that after the collision, the revolving member rotates and rolls against the other component. Thus, when the shifting mechanism or the switching portion collides with the revolving member, neither will be damaged, and due to the rolling contact, also the friction force is not large. Consequently, the bail arm can be restored smoothly to the line-guiding posture.
According, to a second aspect of the present invention, in a spinning reel bail tripping device as in the first aspect, the shifting mechanism includes a shifting member, a first end of which is located near the pivot center of the bail arm and interlocked rotatably with said bail arm at a position that, when the bail arm is in the line-releasing posture, is on a line-guiding posture side of a line segment joining a second end of the shifting member and said pivot center, wherein the second end of the shifting member shifts back and forth in cooperation with the pivoting of the bail arm. With this configuration, when the bail arm pivots into the line-releasing posture, the second end of the shifting member is shifted rearward, and protrudes to a position at which it can contact the switching member. Then, when the rotor is rotated in the line-guiding direction, the second end of the protruding shifting member contacts the switching portion and the shifting member is pushed frontward, returning the bail arm to the line-guiding posture. Here, because the shifting member acts directly between the bail arm and the switching portion, the force is transmitted smoothly and the configuration of the shifting mechanism is simplified, so that the bail can be tripped reliably and the manufacturing costs of the bail tripping device can be reduced.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in a spinning reel bail tripping device as in the second aspect, the shifting member is a rod-shaped member, whose first end is bent toward a vicinity of the pivoting center of the bail arm and extends along the pivot axis, and whose second end is bent toward a rotation axis of the rotor, and between the first end and the second end, the shifting member is arranged so as to extend along a rotation axis of the rotor. The second end is engaged with the rotor, such that it can be shifted back and forth. With this configuration, when the bail arm is pivoted, one end of the shifting member, which extends along the pivot axis and is interlocked with the bail arm, revolves around the pivot axis. Thus, the second end of the shifting member, which is arranged in opposition to the rotation axis of the rotor, is shifted horizontally, interlocked with the rotor. Here, by simply interlocking the bent first end of the rod-shaped shifting member with the bail arm and interlocking the second end such that it can be shifted back and forth, the pivoting motion of the bail arm can be converted easily and with a simple configuration into a horizontal linear motion of the second end of the shifting member.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in a spinning reel bail tripping device as in the third aspect, the revolving member is a cylindrical member that is mounted rotatably to the second end of the shifting member. With this configuration, the revolving member has a simple configuration, in which a cylindrical member is rotatably mounted on the rod-shaped shifting member.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in a spinning reel bail tripping device as in any of the second to fourth aspects, the shifting mechanism comprises a toggle spring mechanism whose one end is rotatably interlocked with the bail arm at a position that is different from the shifting member, and that toggles and urges the bail arm into the line-guiding posture and the line-releasing posture. With this configuration, the bail arm is kept in its two postures by a toggle spring mechanism.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in a spinning reel bail tripping device as in any of the second to fifth aspects, the switching portion has an inclined surface whose downstream side in the line-guiding rotation direction of the rotor protrudes from the front of the reel unit towards the rotor more than its upstream side. With this configuration, when the bail arm is in the line-releasing posture and the rotor is rotated in the line-guiding direction, the revolving member mounted to the second end of the shifting member (or the inclined surface) collides with the inclined surface (or the second end), and the shifting member gradually retreats (moves frontward) while the revolving member rotates, returning the bail arm to the line-guiding posture. Thus, the shifting member retreats smoothly, and the bail arm can be restored smoothly into the line-guiding posture.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in a spinning reel bail tripping device as in the first aspect, the shifting mechanism includes a toggle spring mechanism whose first end is mounted rotatably to a position near the pivot center of the bail arm, and which is pivotably interlocked with the rotor at an intermediate position of the toggle spring mechanism, and a return lever interlocking with a second end of the toggle spring mechanism and mounted to a rear wall of the rotor, pivotably around an axis parallel to the rotation axis of the rotor, wherein a tip of the return lever contacts the switching portion. With this configuration, when the bail arm is pivoted into the line-releasing posture, the return lever pivots into a position in which it can contact the switching portion. Then, when the rotor is rotated in the line-guiding direction, the return lever contacts the switching portion and pivots to its original position, and this pivoting causes the toggle spring mechanism to pivot as well, restoring the bail arm to the line-guiding posture. Here, the return lever pivots only around an axis parallel to the rotation axis of the rotor, so that the shifting mechanism can be accommodated compactly in the rotor.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in a spinning reel bail tripping device as in the seventh aspect, the switching portion has an inclined surface whose downstream side in the line-guiding rotation direction of the rotor protrudes more in radial direction than its upstream side. With this configuration, when the bail arm is in the line-releasing posture and the rotor rotates in the line-guiding direction, the revolving member mounted to the tip of the return lever (or to the switching portion) abuts against the inclined surface (or the return lever) and pivots in a retreating direction, so that the bail arm is returned to the line-guiding posture via the toggle spring mechanism. Therefore, the return member can be pivoted smoothly, and the bail arm can be restored smoothly into the line-guiding posture via the toggle spring mechanism.
According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in a spinning reel bail tripping device as in the seventh or eighth aspects, the revolving member is mounted rotatably to a tip of the return member. With this configuration, the revolving member is mounted to the pivoting return member, so that smooth contact with the switching portion is possible with one revolving member.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of the present invention.